The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.5 percent in June 2014, down from 11.6 percent in May 2014, and 12.0 percent in June 2013. This is the lowest rate recorded since September 2012.

The EU unemployment rate was 10.2 percent in June 2014, down from 10.3 percent in May 20144, and 10.9 percent in June 2013. This is the lowest rate recorded since March 2012.

Eurostat estimates that 25.005 million men and women in the EU, of whom 18.412 million live in the euro area, were unemployed in June 2014. Compared with May 2014, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 198,000 in the EU and by 152,000 in the euro area.

Compared with June 2013, unemployment fell by 1.537 million in the EU and by 783,000 in the euro area. Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (5.0 percent), Germany (5.1 percent) and Malta (5.6 percent), and the highest in Greece (27.3 percent in April 2014) and Spain (24.5 percent).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in twenty one Member States, increased in five and remained stable in the Netherlands and Sweden. The largest decreases were registered in Portugal (16.6 percent to 14.1 percent), Hungary (10.4 percent to 8.1 percent between May 2013 and May 2014), Ireland (13.6 percent to 11.8 percent), and Spain (26.2 percent to 24.5 percent), and the highest increases in Finland (8.1 percent to 8.8 percent), Luxembourg (5.9 percent to 6.3 percent) and Austria (4.7 percent to 5.0 percent).

In June 2014, the unemployment rate in the United States was 6.1 percent, down from 6.3 percent in May 2014, and from 7.5 percent in June 2013. In June 2014, 5.129 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU, of whom 3.319 million were in the euro area. Compared with June 2013, youth unemployment decreased by 506 000 in the EU and by 244 000 in the euro area. In June 2014, the youth unemployment rate5 was 22.0 percent in the EU and 23.1 percent in the euro area, compared with 23.6 percent and 23.9 percent respectively in June 2013. In June 2014, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.8 percent), Austria (9.0 percent) and the Netherlands (10.5 percent), and the highest in Greece (56.3 percent in April 2014), Spain (53.5 percent) and Italy (43.7 percent).

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